Calibrachoa plant named ‘BBCAL85303’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘BBCAL85303’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to trailing plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; early and freely flowering habit; red purple-colored petals with white-colored margins and star-shaped pattern and bright yellow-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BBCAL85303’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘BBCAL85303’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bonsall, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform and freely-branching Calibrachoa plants with unique and attractive flower colors and patterns and good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Bonsall, Calif. on Oct. 28, 2015 of a proprietary seedling selection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 15C644-01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCAL91001’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,232, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plant was discovered and first selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. on Jun. 23, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. since Jun. 25, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘BBCAL85303’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘BBCAL85303’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoa plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to         trailing plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Red purple-colored petals with white-colored margins and         star-shaped pattern and bright yellow-colored centers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as flowers of plants of the female parent         selection are pink in color with yellow-colored star-shaped         pattern and centers.     -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have good garden performance         and are more tolerant to pathogens common to Calibrachoa plants         than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘USCAL91001’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more outwardly spreading         than and not as upright as plants of ‘USCAL91001’.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘USCAL91001’ differ in         flower color as flowers of plants of ‘USCAL91001’ are red purple         in color with yellow-colored star-shaped pattern and centers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCALI11’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,968. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of ‘USCALI11’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more outwardly spreading         than and not as upright as plants of ‘USCALI11’.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘USCALI11’ differ in flower         color as flowers of plants of ‘USCALI11’ are light red purple in         color.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants of the Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCALI51’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,874. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants of ‘USCALI51’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more outwardly spreading         than and not as upright as plants of ‘USCALI51’.     -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘USCALI51’ differ in flower         color as flowers of plants of ‘USCALI51’ are violet in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BBCAL85303’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘BBCAL85303’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter and early spring in 11.5-cm containers in an acrylic-covered greenhouse in Carleton, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Calibrachoa production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 24° C. Plants were twelve weeks from planting rooted cuttings when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘BBCAL85303’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number 15C644-01, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCAL91001’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,232. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five to seven days at             ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven to ten days at             ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About four to five             weeks at ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About five to six             weeks at ambient temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly             spreading and mounding to trailing plant habit; moderately             vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate; freely             branching habit with about three primary lateral branches             each with about four to six secondary branches; dense and             bushy appearance.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 10.5             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 12             cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 28 cm by 30 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 11.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—About 45° to 55° from stem axis.         -   Texture and luster.—Minute pubescence; matte.         -   Color, developing.—Close to 144A.         -   Color, developed.—Close to 146C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,             opposite; leaves simple.         -   Length.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.7 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Minute             pubescence; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 147C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Scattered pubescence; matte. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with             typically more than 300 flowers and flower buds developing             per plant; flowers face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa             begin flowering about six weeks after planting; plants             flower continuously from the spring though the summer until             frost.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about four to five             days on the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.6 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Shape: Oblong, elongate. Texture and luster: Minute             pubescence; matte. Color: Close to N78C.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4 cm by 4.5 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 2.7 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter.—About 4 mm by 10 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 2 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter.—About 8 mm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five fused petals opening into a             flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from throat): About 2 cm.             Petal lobe width: About 1.8 cm to 2 cm. Petal shape:             Fan-shaped. Petal apex: Rounded; recurving with development.             Petal margin: Entire; moderately undulate. Petal texture and             luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous, velvety; slightly             glossy. Petal texture and luster, lower surface: Minute             pubescence especially along the veins; matte. Throat texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Tube texture and             luster: Minute pubescence; matte. Color: Petal lobe, when             opening, upper surface: Close to 71B. Petal lobe, when             opening, lower surface: Close to 75A. Petal lobe, fully             opened, upper surface: Close to N74A to N74B; towards the             margins, close to NN155C; towards the base, close to 71A;             venation, close to 71B; lobe color becoming closer to 77A to             77B with development. Petal lobe, fully opened, lower             surface: Close to N78C to N78D; towards the margins, close             to NN155C; venation, close to 194A; color becoming closer to             N81D with development. Throat: Close to 11A, yellow color             fusing distally into the white-colored star pattern;             venation, close to 11A; color becoming closer to 11B to 11C             with development. Tube: Close to 160B; venation, close to             195A.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals fused towards the base and arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 cm. Sepal             length: About 8 mm. Sepal width: About 2.5 mm. Sepal shape:             Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal             texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Minute             pubescence; matte. Sepal color, when developing, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 146A. Sepal color, developed, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 146A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Angle: About 45° to 60° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture and luster: Minute pubescence; matte. Color:             Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.             Filament length: About 8 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D.             Anther size: About 1 mm by 1 mm. Anther shape: Round. Anther             color: Close to 11C. Pollen amount: Scarce to none. Pollen             color: Close to 11B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style length: About 8 mm. Style             color: Close to 145C. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma             shape: Oval. Stigma color: Close to 146B. Ovary color: Close             to 145A. Seeds and fruits: To date, seed and fruit             development have not been observed on plants of the new             Calibrachoa. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed     to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and to be     suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 10a to 11b. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Calibrachoa     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Calibrachoa plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘BBCAL85303’ as illustrated and described. 